Akbar

(r. 1555–1605) Third and greatest ruler in
the Moghul dynasty, a Muslim dynasty
that controlled large parts of India
between 1525 and 1707, existing in
reduced form until 1857. Akbar’s long
reign was marked by generally good
relations with his Hindu subjects, many
of whom were put into positions of
authority and for whom he seems to
have had genuine sympathy and understanding. One of his most important
gestures was to repeal a poll tax on nonMuslims, which had been customary
but was highly unpopular among
Hindus. Although more orthodox
Muslims insinuated that Akbar was a
closet Hindu, the goodwill and cooperation that he fostered helped keep things
peaceful throughout his reign.